The new rules are designed to use spectrum more efficiently. The rules also help preserve broadcast television as a healthy, viable medium, says the FCC, since stations sharing a single broadcast TV channel will employ a single channel and transmission facility. Each will continue to be licensed separately, retain its original call sign, retain an FCC license, and remain subject to all of the FCC’s rules, policies, and obligations.

“Today’s adoption of the Innovation in the Television Bands Report and Order by the FCC marks another important step to freeing up valuable spectrum so the U.S. wireless industry may meet Americans’ demand for mobile broadband services. By allowing broadcasters to share channels, the FCC is making TV spectrum license holders more efficient users of this finite resource. In turn, consumers will benefit as wireless providers will have an opportunity to purchase the repacked spectrum for billions at auction.”

The FCC is planning to auction unused television frequencies for licensed broadband wireless after “repacking” broadcasters into the VHF and lower UHF spectrum. Currently US television uses channel 2 (54 Mhz) through channel 51 (698 MHz). The FCC hopes to vacate channel 31-51 and auction them for mobile broadband. The “incentive auction” of channels in the UHF television band is expected to raise some $25 billion.

Auctioning 120 MHz between channels 31 and 51 should still leave 29 (“free”) DTV channels between Channel 2 and Channel 30. Some 75 years ago, a high “public service” value was placed on radio and television for disseminating news and information. Today local television stations are largely controlled by group owners…and don’t pay taxpayers one dime for the privilege.

In its national broadband plan, the FCC is proposing free up some 300 MHz spectrum for auctioning as part of an effort to eventually free up 500 Mhz of spectrum for commercial wireless broadband.